Jayfeather and Briarlight

Jayfeather had been sorting through his herbs,finding what he needed to restock on. 'I seem to have just about enough of everything except watermint.' As Jayfeather turned to leave the den the familiar scent of Briarlight flew through the air.
"Um,Jayfeather?" he heard her mew from outside the den. He continued walking to the entrance,and finally stepped outside beside the dark brown she-cat.
"You know,you can come inside" He said dryly. Briarlight turned her head away,her green eyes narrowed. After a minute of silence,Jayfeather twitched his tail. "Well,what do you need?". He senced her nervousness,which came as a bit of a surprise to Jayfeather.'What's she so nervous about?'
He pictured her shuffling her paws,and he couldn't feel her gaze,so she probrobly wasn't even looking at him.
"W-well I uh...I was wondering..I mean..I wanted to.." She stuttered. Jayfeather had to stop himself from hissing in annoyance. 'Get on with it'. "Look,if you want to come back to the Medicine den,then just say so."

Ever since that tree fell on her and broke her spine,she had to stay with Jayfeather in his den while she recovered. She never did fully recover though. She can no longer use her back legs,so Jayfeather had her do certain excercises to keep her healthy and alive. Soon she began to feel as if she were a burden to the clan. Jayfeather then gave her small jobs like sorting through herbs,making pulp,and taking things to the nursery or elders den. But about a half a moon ago she,out of the blue, said she wanted to sleep in the warriors den. Some warriors were against it,saying there wasn't enough room for her,but they all finally agreed to it,including Firestar of course.
Jayfeather just assumed she wanted to feel like she was more apart of the clan,and that's why she moved the warriors den.
He never could make her feel important enough.

"W-Well,accually I-" briarlight started to say,but was interupted by Millie calling her.
"Millie hurry up,it's time to do your exercises!" Jayfeather scenced relief jump off Briarlights fur in waves,and a bit of annoyance and her obsessive mother. She dipped her head to Jayfeather "Um,Sorry Jayfeather." She dragged herself over to Millie,who told her what excercises to do,even though Briarlight already knew. She just listened absently at her mothers directions.

Jayfeather let his sightless blue gaze rest on them for a second. 'What was she about to tell me? If the clan had any respect for their medicine cat,maybe Millie wouldn't have interupted us talking.' Jayfeather shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. he artched his back and yawned,then licked his gray pelt were some fur was sticking up. 'Well,better go get that watermint now.'

As he walked outside of the camp,thornclaw,who was guarding the entrance,asked him where he was going. Jayfeather simply told him he was going to gather herbs. Thornclaw didn't dare suggest someone to go with him.
Jayfeather got to the watermint fine,but on his way back he stumbled into a patch of briars.
He hissed in annoyance as he tried to pluck them out of his fur. After he finally got out he was left with a couple of scratches that drew blood,but nothing too serious.

When he got back he scampered past the clearing and back into his den before anybody noticed the scent of blood. He wasn't in the mood for stupid questions.
He pulled out some marigold from his herb store and began putting it on his deeper cuts. Before he was even halfway done he smelled a cat coming into his den. It was Briarlight again.
"Jayfeather? What happened?" She asked immediatly. He now scenced worry escaping the younge cats pelt. He sighed.
"It was just a few thorns,i'm fine." Jayfeather heard her drag herself over to him. "What-?" he started,but she snotched the marigold away from him.
"Hey!" He protested.
"You won't be able to get these on your back" she explained. Jayfeather flentched away "I can do it just fine on my own!" he hissed "Just because i'm blind doesn't mean-"
"I never said one thing about your eyesight! Not even a cat with perfect vision and hearing can do everything on their own! Now let me help!" She hissed back.
Jayfeather was a bit shocked by her sudden anger,but he shrugged it off. She seemed more relieved now than angry though.

Sighing in defeat he let her rub the pulp on his back. When she was done she washed her paws off in the small pool in his den while he put the rest of the marigold away.
She moved away from the pool when she was done and sat near the center of the den. Jayfeather started walking to the water,too. He flicked his tail at Briarlight.
"You're still here?" He could sence her flinch and felt her annoyance "Hey,I helped you with those scratches. The least you could do is thank me!" she growled.
He grunted "Hmph. Thank you. Anything else you need? What where you trying to tell me earlier?" he asked,remembering earlier this morning. He noticed her tense up a bit. He narrowed his eyes "Well?"
"It was nothing." she murmered.
"Nothing?" He asked suspiciously.She didn't say anything so Jayfeather turned his head,walking back to the pool.

"Is there anything you need? you're not in pain are you?" she asked suddenly.
"Ugh. It was just a few scratches,why are you making such a fuss?" He asked annoyed.
"Because I...wel you're my clanmate. Why shouldn't I care?" she meowed a bit defensivley
"Because your constant nagging is annoying me" He retorted,now washing his paws in the water.

"I learned from the best" She meowed dryly. "Don't you ever accept help? You're as stubborn as a fox!"
"Then maybe you should leave me alone so you won't have to deal with it." He turned around,about to go back to his herb stack that he still hadn't put away. "Why are you making such a big deal out of all this?"

"Because I love you!" her growl was full of emotion.

He stopped dead in his stracks,his sightless eyes stretched wide. Had she really just said that? He was frozen in one place. He heard her talking behind him. "If you love someone,you can't help but worry". Her voice shook.
Jayfeather slowly turned his head to face her.He tried to say something,but he was speachless. All he could say was "What?"
"I love you,Jayfeather." she said,a little quieter. "S-Stop saying that!" He hissed,a bit shakey. He stood there,trying to gather his sences. "Well?" she asked after a little while "Say something" She pleaded. He shook his head slightly and let out a breath "No..you can't"
"Why not?" She cried,even though she knew the answer.
"I'm a medicine cat." He said. He was starting to get a hold of himself,and stood a little striaghter.
"Is that the only reason?" She asked,faint hope stirring out of her voice.
"I don't feel the same way. You're wasting your breath" Jayfeather said,turning his head away from her,still a bit shakey with his words,but more confedent sounding atleast.
"Nothing? Not even a little bit?" She asked pitifuly. Jayfeather felt his heart start to break. He hadn't relized how close he had come to the she-cat. He did care about her,but he didn't love her like that. No. He love somebody else.
"Briarlight,look I..I do care about you,but nothing more than I feel for anybody else.". He said simply. He could feel her heartbreak just as if it were his own. Did he really feel more for her than he first thought?' No. No,don't even think that. You've got someone waiting for you up there.'
"There's something else isn't there?" She asked a bit accusingly.' How did she..?' "Oh,come on Jayfeather,it's written all over your face.It's because of my back legs,isn't it?". He 'looked' back over to her. "Hey,I never said anything about that. Why would I discrimenate you because of that. I'm blind,after all." She was silent for a few seconds. He simply sighed and let his voice grow softer.
"Briarlight.Listen." Jayfeather started walking toward her "I'm a medicine cat. I'm not allowed to fall in love. But the truth is I have.But I can't betray her. She told me she would wait for me" He felt her dissapointment,but tried to lock her feelings away.
"Who is she?" She asked. 'Fox-dung!' he thought. How was he supposed to explain this? She must have noticed his hesitation.
"Can you not tell me? Is she from another clan?" She asked suddenly. "Wha-? No no!She's..well..." He sighed again. Her voice dropped "I guess you can't trust me enough to tell me".
"Briarlight,stop that. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just...okay. Do you think you could make it to the lake?".
"Yes" she said a bit catiously. Jayfeather lead the way out,and she kept up surprisingly well. He stopped by Firestars den and told him he was taking Briarlight out to the lake so they could practice new stretches,without distractions.
Their trip was mostly quiet except an occasional "Watch out" or "Be careful".
When they finally got there,he had her sit under the shade tree. He started feeling around the edge of the tree. When he finally found it he pulled both peices out.
"Umm..what's the broken stick for?" She asked. He didn't answer her,just scooted it between them.
"Okay. I'm going to tell you a secret that only me,Lionblaze,Dovewing,and Firestar know about. You can not tell anybody,understand?"
"Of course"
"A long time ago,in the clans old territory before the great journey,Firestar had a dream. There was a gray tom who told him 'There will be Three kin of your kin,will hold the power of stars in their paws'. Me,Lionblaze,and Dovewing are the three. Each of us has a power. Lionblaze can fight any battle,and not have a scratch on him. Dovewing has extended sences. She can see whats going on at the border while she's still at the camp. And I can read cats emotions and thoughts. I can even go into their memories and dreams."
She was surprised,but very interested,so he kept going. "A long time ago,a clan of cats lived here. I call them the Ancient clan. I met one of the cats in a dream one day. His name is Fallen Leaves. He died in the tunnels when he was trying to become a sharpclaw." He explained how Fallen Leaves was a softpaw,which was like an apprentace,and a sharpclaw was like a warrior. He also mentioned Rock and the stick,and then how he went through the tunnels and came out as Jay's Wing.
"And thats where I met Half Moon. I loved the way she made me feel. I knew I was there for a reason,and it was to lead the ancient clan to a new home.Their new home was going to be out in the moutains,where the Tribe cats are now. I was walking in the back of the group,and Rock appeared and held me back. He said my job was done and that i needed to go home. I thought I would get over that feeling,but then,when we went back to the Tribe,I saw them again in my 'dream'."
Jayfeather told her about him having to chose a Stoneteller,who would turn out to be Half moon. He told her how they talked above the waterfall. When she asked him if he was leaving again,and he had to answer 'yes'.
Then he told her about him being surrounded by his old clanmate ancestors. And then how he finally saw Half Moon there.
"She said 'I will wait for you,Jay's Wing. No matter how long it takes'. So,you see? I love her,and I won't betray her."
Briarlight was silent for a while,then finally spoke "Wow. I can't believe all of the stuff thats happened to you,and your brother for that matter".
"I'm really sorry,Briarlight." He said. She laughed half-heartedly "Don't worry about it. Besides,I think you and Half Moon are a cute couple." Somehow,her cheerfull voice sounded fake.
Jayfeather could tell she was upset,but she was also happy. "I'm glad you could trust me with your secret. I promise,I won't tell anybody."
"Thank you." He said. "Come on,we should get back to camp before they send a search party after us." She agreed,and he helped her make her way back to camp.
He instinctivly walked her to his den,only to remember where she slept now. He stopped and was about to tell her to go on to her den but then... "Umm,Jayfeather? Would you mind if I stayed in the Medicine den? I don't think I should stay in the Warriors den anymore.".
"Sure.It got pretty boring in there without you running your mouth" He said half jokefully.
As he got her settled back in her nest,he asked her "So,why did you move the the warriors den anyway?".
"Well. It was because I knew that if I stayed around you too much,then I would only fall in love with you more. I knew we could never be together because you were a medicine cat,so I tried to stay away. But earlier,I couldn't hold it in anymore. Heh,besides I think I was getting in everybody's way".
"Well you're not in the way here." He said softly. "You need to get some rest.".
"I think you should sleep some too. It'll be moonhigh soon anyway.".
"Alright. I'm going to tell Firestar we're back and that you did good today". He started to walk off,then turned his head back to her "And you did do good today".
He curled up in his nest after talking with Firestar. It was a pretty warm night,it felt good. 'I'm sorry to hurt you Briarlight. But I won't betray Half Moon,and I wont break the warrior code. Half Moon,wait for me. I'll come some day,just please,don't stop waiting for me.'